Motortrend: BMW M5 vs. Cadillac CTS-V

[Z-06]

[source: Motortrend]

Comparison: 2009 BMW M5 vs 2009 Cadillac CTS-V

Mirror, Mirror: The $89,325 Munich Benchmark vs. the $60,700 Motown Doppelganger. Which is the Fairest Supersedan of Them All?

FIRST PLACE: Cadillac CTS-V

Glitzy exterior and cabin plus some finish issues detract from premium feel, but delivers where it counts. A Corvette ZR1 in four-door attire -- and a bargain to boot.

SECOND PLACE: BMW M5

Masterfully executed, but priced accordingly. Handling not on par with BMW's best, though, and V-10 power no match for Caddy's supercharged V-8.

Priced at $94,895 as-tested, the BMW M5 says "premium" from the bottom line on its window sticker to the velvety feel of its controls to the secure embrace of its sport seats. The CTS-V can't match the BMW for fit and finish (one example: when raising the driver-seat headrest, the anchor plugs pulled out of the seat back), and it's simply not as finely matured as its Bavarian rival. Even at $3400, the CTS-V's optional Recaro front buckets can't compare with the BMW's thrones for holding you in place when driving hard (the Caddy's $300 suede wheel is a nice touch, though). Then again, at $66,835 as-tested the Cadillac undercuts the BMW by nearly $30 grand. For its lofty admission price, the BMW had BETTER be built like a Tiffany clock.

Yet where it really matters, as a performance sedan, the CTS-V soundly spanks the M5. It's quicker in a straight line, handles better, steers better, even rides better (credit those amazing, multitalented magnetorheological shocks).

An all-new M5, rumored to develop 600-plus horsepower, is coming for 2011. Until then, though, it's the Cadillac CTS-V that best reflects the supersedan state of the art.

[FAPTurbo]

BUT I THOUGHT MOTORTREND WAS BIASED!!!!! OMG WTF BBQ PUSHRODS ARE TEH SUXORZ DOHC IS SPOSED TO BE TEH WINRAR!!!!! WHERES TEH ELEVENTY BILLION MASSAGE SETTINGS IN THE BACK SEAT CADILLAC NEEDS TO HAVE SUPER-DVD-AUDIO-BLU-RAY SYSTEM WITH SEVENTY CHANNELS CADILLAC IS STILL TEH FAILBOAT!!!!!!!

[Justin Bimmer]

BUT I THOUGHT MOTORTREND WAS BIASED!!!!! OMG WTF BBQ PUSHRODS ARE TEH SUXORZ DOHC IS SPOSED TO BE TEH WINRAR!!!!! WHERES TEH ELEVENTY BILLION MASSAGE SETTINGS IN THE BACK SEAT CADILLAC NEEDS TO HAVE SUPER-DVD-AUDIO-BLU-RAY SYSTEM WITH SEVENTY CHANNELS CADILLAC IS STILL TEH FAILBOAT!!!!!!!

Everything he said, I agree with, I think. . .

[Intrepidation]

BUT I THOUGHT MOTORTREND WAS BIASED!!!!! OMG WTF BBQ PUSHRODS ARE TEH SUXORZ DOHC IS SPOSED TO BE TEH WINRAR!!!!! WHERES TEH ELEVENTY BILLION MASSAGE SETTINGS IN THE BACK SEAT CADILLAC NEEDS TO HAVE SUPER-DVD-AUDIO-BLU-RAY SYSTEM WITH SEVENTY CHANNELS CADILLAC IS STILL TEH FAILBOAT!!!!!!!

[Drew Dowdell]

BUT I THOUGHT MOTORTREND WAS BIASED!!!!! OMG WTF BBQ PUSHRODS ARE TEH SUXORZ DOHC IS SPOSED TO BE TEH WINRAR!!!!! WHERES TEH ELEVENTY BILLION MASSAGE SETTINGS IN THE BACK SEAT CADILLAC NEEDS TO HAVE SUPER-DVD-AUDIO-BLU-RAY SYSTEM WITH SEVENTY CHANNELS CADILLAC IS STILL TEH FAILBOAT!!!!!!!

Because, without fail, they are still mentioning the f@cking Cimarron. Right there in the first freaking sentence!!!!

Once "The Standard of the World," by the early 1980s GM's Cadillac division had nose-dived to "The Standard Engine on Our New Cimarron Is a Four-Cylinder." Cadillac has since scrambled back to become "Another Legendary Automaker Attempting To Reestablish Past Glory."

Just once I want to see this same exact article start with "In 1957, Cadillac was selling one of the most expensive and luxurious cars in the world in the V8 Eldorado Brougham at the same time BMW was building the 1 cylinder, 13 horsepower, Isetta nicknamed das rollende Ei or The Rolling Egg."

[Robert Hall]

Sweet.

[FAPTurbo]

Is it possible to email this article to SMK, along with various quote's of him saying that the BMW V10 would trounce the CTS-V, etc?

[Camino LS6]

Because, without fail, they are still mentioning the f@cking Cimarron. Right there in the first freaking sentence!!!!

Just once I want to see this same exact article start with "In 1957, Cadillac was selling one of the most expensive and luxurious cars in the world in the V8 Eldorado Brougham at the same time BMW was building the 1 cylinder, 13 horsepower, Isetta nicknamed das rollende Ei or The Rolling Egg."

Nicely put!

Congrats to Caddy for slaying the dragon.

...but the dragon let itself get fat.

[Intrepidation]

Nicely put!

Congrats to Caddy for slaying the dragon.

...but the dragon let itself get fat.

...and ugly.

[Camino LS6]

Yeah, that too.

[Z-06]

And over-expensive.

[Camino LS6]

Can't forget that aspect either.

[A Horse With No Name]

Because, without fail, they are still mentioning the f@cking Cimarron. Right there in the first freaking sentence!!!!

Just once I want to see this same exact article start with "In 1957, Cadillac was selling one of the most expensive and luxurious cars in the world in the V8 Eldorado Brougham at the same time BMW was building the 1 cylinder, 13 horsepower, Isetta nicknamed das rollende Ei or The Rolling Egg."

I've seen a 1957 Eldorado Brogham. Fabulous car!

Chris

[David]

Personally the issues they have with the Caddy is nit picking as they are preferances in regards to the seats and head rests. The rest of the fit and finish is also really stretching it. I personally do not like the BMW layout of the dash or the feel. So far all the cars I have been in and looked at have had a plasticy cheap feel and look compared to my caddy's. I will stay with my American Luxury Auto's, supporting my American companies.

[Justin Bimmer]

I don't foresee Motor Trend being around much longer, at least in print form. For that matter, any print auto magazine.

[gm4life]

I don't foresee Motor Trend being around much longer, at least in print form. For that matter, any print auto magazine.

That will be another sad day. I get the four "big" ones, but have the strongest distaste for M/T. Glad they gave the Caddy 1st.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Glitzy exterior and cabin plus some finish issues detract from premium feel

Oh, shut the f*ck up... Just HAD to say something negative, right? And some bull$h! subjective crap to beat all.

[Intrepidation]

I will agree that their nitpicking is silly/stupid. Where's the mention of the M5 looking like a horse's ass? Or interior design that looks like any BMW from the 90's?

[balthazar]

>>"Because, without fail, they are still mentioning the f@cking Cimarron. Right there in the first freaking sentence!!!!"<<

JHC !!! Yet there will still be those that trumpet "The CTS-V placed first- there's no such thing as magazine bias!"

[Justin Bimmer]

I want to start a car magazine and just name it "BIAS"

[Daryl Z71]

Doesn't suprise me some of the &#036;h&#33; they have to complain about. The Caddy looks way better anyway.

[regfootball]

I will agree that their nitpicking is silly/stupid. Where's the mention of the M5 looking like a horse's ass? Or interior design that looks like any BMW from the 90's?

on this, we agree.

[regfootball]

by the way, motor trend is going bankrupt, what do they know?

[David]

[source: Motortrend]

Comparison: 2009 BMW M5 vs 2009 Cadillac CTS-V

Mirror, Mirror: The $89,325 Munich Benchmark vs. the $60,700 Motown Doppelganger. Which is the Fairest Supersedan of Them All?

FIRST PLACE: Cadillac CTS-V

Glitzy exterior and cabin plus some finish issues detract from premium feel, but delivers where it counts. A Corvette ZR1 in four-door attire -- and a bargain to boot.

SECOND PLACE: BMW M5

Masterfully executed, but priced accordingly. Handling not on par with BMW's best, though, and V-10 power no match for Caddy's supercharged V-8.

In regards to this comment:

" The CTS-V can't match the BMW for fit and finish (one example: when raising the driver-seat headrest, the anchor plugs pulled out of the seat back),"

When I was up at Dougs Cadillac / Hummer in North Seattle this weekend, I checked out the two CTS-V's they had, one in black and the other in the red color. I would have to think the idiot who was moving the head rest was really stupid as I even pulled hard on them and could not pull out the headrest along with the anchor plugs. Something just does not add up. I will say that the recardo seats while nice and very racy I would not want as they are too hard especially if you were going to go on a nice road trip to carve up some mountains like the North Cascade highway would be awesome for this car to eat up. The standard seats are perfect to me.

Glad they still felt the V was #1, but as I stated earlier, their nit picking is stupid as they really could not find much to bitch about as their German driving machine is not up to the task of World Class.

[turbo200]

In regards to this comment:

" The CTS-V can't match the BMW for fit and finish (one example: when raising the driver-seat headrest, the anchor plugs pulled out of the seat back),"

When I was up at Dougs Cadillac / Hummer in North Seattle this weekend, I checked out the two CTS-V's they had, one in black and the other in the red color. I would have to think the idiot who was moving the head rest was really stupid as I even pulled hard on them and could not pull out the headrest along with the anchor plugs. Something just does not add up. I will say that the recardo seats while nice and very racy I would not want as they are too hard especially if you were going to go on a nice road trip to carve up some mountains like the North Cascade highway would be awesome for this car to eat up. The standard seats are perfect to me.

Glad they still felt the V was #1, but as I stated earlier, their nit picking is stupid as they really could not find much to bitch about as their German driving machine is not up to the task of World Class.

maybe their nitpicking is coming from thier experience and preference of understated design.....balance, symmetry, attention to quality

[David]

maybe their nitpicking is coming from thier experience and preference of understated design.....balance, symmetry, attention to quality

I have not seen much quality but plenty of over priced service on BMW's lately. Of the 3 coworkers I know that have BMW's, 2 of them dumped them over the weekend. Once bought a new CTS and the other actually dumped it for a lexus. Interesting that they both say BMW has become over priced and poor quality compared to other vendors out there. Maybe it is time BMW takes a hard look at them selves.

[Intrepidation]

maybe their nitpicking is coming from thier experience and preference of understated design.....balance, symmetry, attention to quality

Yeah...no. The 5 series in any form is not understated or pretty.

Speaking of "quality" Over at InsideLine their brand new, long term 7 Series had the wood cubby cover come clean off. Yep, that's quality and attention to detail.

[David]

Yeah...no. The 5 series in any form is not understated or pretty.

Speaking of "quality" Over at InsideLine their brand new, long term 7 Series had the wood cubby cover come clean off. Yep, that's quality and attention to detail.

Ouch that hurts on such an expensive car. Did they post a pic of this failure?

[Z-06]

I have not seen much quality but plenty of over priced service on BMW's lately. Of the 3 coworkers I know that have BMW's, 2 of them dumped them over the weekend. Once bought a new CTS and the other actually dumped it for a lexus. Interesting that they both say BMW has become over priced and poor quality compared to other vendors out there. Maybe it is time BMW takes a hard look at them selves.

I ain't complaining yet.

I agree with you that for the level of performance and convenience the German brands offer. ALL are overpriced.